Analysis of 5,500 apartment developments reveals your new home may not be as energy efficient as you think
May 12, 2022
Michael Ambrose, CSIRO Apartment living is booming in Australia. Many people choose apartments for their good energy efficiency, which reduces the need for heating and cooling and leads to lower power bills. But not every apartment is as energy efficient as the development advertises. All proposed new dwellings, including apartments, require an energy rating certificate. […]
Tents to Castles: Building energy efficient, cost saving Aussie homes
April 21, 2022
The Climate Council’s new report Tents to Castles: Building energy efficient, cost saving Aussie homes has found living in a 7-Star, all-electric house in any capital city in Australia would save occupants on average $450 per year on heating and cooling costs compared to the current building standard of 6-Stars. Low energy efficiency standards have […]
One million energy rating certificates on Australian Housing Data portal
December 1, 2021
By Kate Cranney The Australian Housing Data portal has now collected one million energy rating certificates from Australian homes, giving researchers, regulators, and industry associations an unprecedented snapshot of the energy efficiency of the nation’s housing stock. How do we know whether new homes in Australia are becoming more energy efficient? Every new home in […]
COP26: cities create over 70% of energy-related emissions. Here’s what must change
November 12, 2021
Anna Hurlimann, The University of Melbourne; Georgia Warren-Myers, The University of Melbourne, and Judy Bush, The University of Melbourne Cities are responsible for 71-76% of energy-related CO₂ emissions. Today, the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow will convene to discuss this urgent global problem. Carbon emissions in cities are generated through activities including the construction […]
Better building standards are good for the climate, your health, and your wallet. Here’s what the National Construction Code could do better
October 4, 2021
Trivess Moore, RMIT University; Alan Pears, RMIT University; Erika Bartak, The University of Melbourne, and Nicola Willand, RMIT University The recent IPCC report highlighted we must urgently transition to a low carbon future. One low hanging fruit is to improve the sustainability of new and existing housing. Minimum performance and quality requirements for new housing […]
What is dust? And where does it all come from?
September 28, 2021
Mark Patrick Taylor, Macquarie University; Cynthia Faye Isley, Macquarie University; Kara Fry, Macquarie University, and Max M Gillings, Macquarie University Everything in our homes gathers dust. But what exactly is it? Where does it come from, and why does it keep coming back? Is it from outside? Is it fibres from our clothes and cells […]
Complicated, costly and downright frustrating: Aussies keen to cut emissions with clean energy at home get little support
August 4, 2021
Hugo Temby, Australian National University and Hedda Ransan-Cooper, Australian National University Even after A$4,000 in repairs, Heather’s $18,000 rooftop solar and battery system is still not working. Heather worked as a nurse until a workplace accident caused her to leave the workforce. She put most of her compensation towards making a switch to clean energy, […]
‘Die of cold or die of stress?’: Social housing is frequently colder than global health guidelines
July 22, 2021
Daniel Daly, University of Wollongong; Federico Tartarini, University of Wollongong; Gordon Waitt, University of Wollongong; Michael Tibbs, University of Wollongong; Paul Cooper, University of Wollongong, and Theresa Harada, University of Wollongong As you huddle inside this winter – possibly as part of a pandemic lockdown – you might be noticing the “thermal performance” of your […]
This is no time to delay raising minimum home energy ratings
November 5, 2020
Article in The Fifth Estate by Rob McLeod Go to article ….
Mould and damp health costs are about 3 times those of sugary drinks. We need a healthy housing agenda
October 26, 2020
Rebecca Bentley, University of Melbourne and Emma Baker The World Health Organisation has always been interested in housing as one of the big “causes of the causes”, of the social determinants, of health. The WHO launched evidence-based guidelines for healthy housing policies in 2019. Australia is behind the eight ball on healthy housing. Other governments, […]